A Taste of Home
by Durotos
Summary: I was born and grew up in Bluebell, but I always thought that if I ever wanted to make more of my life, I needed more than the small village could offer me. The thought of leaving home makes me feel so... conflicted, but that's part of growing up, right? (Tale of Two Towns) A Belated Secret Santa gift for RobotKitty5848 for the Village Square Forums.


It wasn't that it did not taste delicious; quite the contrary, that was part of what made it so disturbing.

My father has always been a very eccentric man, but I wouldn't have him any other way. After all, if he was any different, he wouldn't be Dad.

"Is something wrong, Pumpkin? Those are fresh eggs from _Phillip's_ farm. They should be super fresh and tasty!" His deep, yet syrupy voice echoed from the other side of the room.

I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. I didn't like the way Dad had been using the local farmer's name around me recently. I had more important things to worry about than what Phillip thought about me. Not that I wasted my time thinking about what his opinions were. Of course not – I just needed to focus on my plans for my own café in the future.

And in order to do that, I needed something in my stomach so that I could think properly.

I only wish that the "brain food" my father had so generously cooked for me didn't have a detailed replica of his profile in ketchup. The fact that he was such a good artist made it all the more awkward; he had every detail down, from his strong forehead to his shapely mouth, right down to the mole he drew every morning by his lip. I, of course, pretended to feign innocence that he actually drew on this beauty mark – my father took a lot of pride and ownership in his appearance.

That being said, I still had no desire to consume an omelette with a rendering of his face on it.

"Laney, you eat your breakfast before it gets cold, you silly girl," my father insisted.

I looked across the table from me. Cam was silently digging into his own meal, the realistic portrait seeming to have little to no effect on killing his appetite. He had brought some of his flowers with him to the table, and a stack of pink carnations sat by his plate. The young man seemed more focused on the blossoms than his food.

"It's good," his soft voice could hardly be heard over the clattering of his fork.

I cocked an eyebrow, wondering if he was referring to the breakfast or the pile of blooms sitting beside him. Sometimes it seemed as if Cam was off in his own little world once flowers became involved. "What's good?"

"Uh, the food. I thought that much was obvious," he gave a small chuckle as he added another forkful to his mouth. I noticed he cut his omelette carefully so as to not destroy the, ahem, _work of art_ my father created on it.

"Well, someone's head is in the clouds today," Dad strode to the table with his own plate. "What could possibly have you so positively flustered this morning?" As my father took a seat at the table with us, Cam swiftly pulled his cap off of his head and set it next to his flowers. I caught Dad giving him a small nod of approval in response.

"I'm not flustered," I shrugged as I stared down at my father's face perfectly drawn in ketchup, "I just have a lot on my mind."

The truth was I hadn't spoken much to Dad about my ideas about running a café in the city. I don't know if he'd really understand. I want to be able to have people enjoy my cooking, but honestly, how much perspective can there really be in this tiny town? In such a tiny village where everyone knew each other, it was a little difficult to get an honest opinion on my cooking.

Neither of the two said anything in reply. Cam was never one for talking much, but I noticed a worried look cross my father's brow. "Why don't you go for a walk to clear your head? The weather's really nice this morning and the fresh air will do you some good."

I said nothing, but slid on my shoes and headed out the door, eager for a bit of peace and quiet to myself.

0o0o0o0

I stared at the surface of the crystal blue water. It was like a sheet of glass with the sunlight glistening off of it. The wildflowers blooming around me smelled amazing; I'm sure Cam could have identified them for me, but I didn't really care for such knowledge. Dad was right; it was a beautiful day. Why didn't I feel happier, then? I gazed into the pool of water and forced a smile on my face, but the image looking back at me betrayed my true emotions. I wish I felt more cheerful, but I just couldn't.

"Oh, hey." Phillip gave me a small wave as he walked past. He must have seen past my fake grin because he halted and stood beside me, looking at our reflections together. "Are you alright, Laney?"

Was my expression really that obvious? I let out a tired sigh and felt my bangs fall back down on my forehead.

"Uh, would it help to talk about it?" his voice was gentle. I wondered at what point this stranger had become a close confidant and good friend of mine. Perhaps I started to trust him a little bit more after he sampled a piece of cheesecake I had made myself. He had given me an honest critique of the recipe, and over the past couple of months, I had perfected it to the point where he'd stop by the bakery regularly to see if I had made a fresh batch. Maybe he was someone I could talk to about this matter. After all, practically everyone else I knew was born and raised here in Bluebell. That didn't exactly provide a very unbiased opinion.

"If you don't mind…" I started, furrowing my brow. I looked out at the surface of the water. Staring at the young man next to me was a little intimidating. "There's something that I've been thinking about a lot lately."

He looked at me silently, waiting for me to continue. I had grown accustomed to my friend's quiet, yet encouraging nature. That was part of the reason he was so easy to speak to. He was always so genuine with his words, and if I didn't make a recipe quite right, he always let me know. It was reassuring to have someone like that in my life. Granted, my father would let me know if a cake was a little flat or some cookies were bland, but it felt really good hearing those words from a third party. Having someone who didn't cook for a living could give me a better idea of how my customers felt when tasting my wares.

I opened my mouth to speak and closed it again, suddenly realizing how parched it was. Why wasn't I more excited to share my ideas with Phillip? Part of me was afraid of saying anything at all. I licked my dry lips and continued. "You moved all the way out here to be a farmer… Weren't you sad to leave your old village?"

He looked lost in thought for a moment as he looked down at his feet, his auburn locks hanging in his eyes. Phillip looked back up at me, brushing the hair out of his face. "I was. It was really hard at first not knowing anybody, or even knowing how to get around the area. Not being able to see the people I grew up with… life at Bluebell is a lot different than what I was used to, but I've grown to really love it here. I decided when I was a kid that I wanted to raise animals, and I couldn't imagine a better place to do it," his voice ended up in a much more cheerful tone than it had started.

It was a couple of years ago since I had first met Phillip. Would it take me that long to feel comfortable in my new home? A small part of me didn't even want to think about it at all. "So… you don't miss your home village at all?" The notion made me feel a little sad. I don't think I could ever not miss Dad or Cam. Starting an entirely new life was such a huge step, and I wasn't sure if I was really ready for it yet, especially after hearing what Phillip had to say about it.

He gave me a kind grin as he looked down at his reflection in the water pensively. "I do miss it still, but that doesn't bother me. Honestly it would bother me more if I didn't miss it… I have so many fond memories of home." He stood silently for a moment, as if remembering something important. "But I have good memories here, too. They both feel like home now; I know if I had to leave here I would miss it just as much." He looked back up at me and our eyes locked.

I felt like the bottom fell out of my stomach. What was he really trying to tell me? "You're not planning on leaving, are you?" I thought of the neighboring village on the other side of the tunnel that went through the mountain. It had recently been opened up, and I had seen the young man out in the mountain trail with his carriage, frequently carrying baskets of bamboo shoots – they certainly didn't grow around here…

Things weren't exactly hostile anymore with the next town over, but the thought of my friend leaving the place he had grown to love in favor of Konohana broke my heart a little.

"I suppose I could ask you the same thing," he replied with a sad smile.

Phillip was full of surprises; he was much more insightful than he let on. A sheepish laugh escaped from my lips. "Am I that easy to read?" I let out a sigh as my eyes met his once more. His facial expressions reflected concern and I had a hard time maintaining eye contact. My gaze moved back to the water as I nervously wrung my hands. I hadn't told anyone about my plans yet, but I knew by now that Phillip wouldn't judge me. "I'd like to share my cooking with a broader range of people. I think I won't really be able to do that in such a small village as Bluebell. I…" I found myself hesitating, "I want to open a café in the big city someday so that people from all around can try my baking. Knowing that you made out just fine after moving makes me feel a little bit better and more confident. Maybe I could make it in the city after all," a heavy weight lifted off of my shoulders as I exhaled.

I looked up to see a pair of serious blue eyes gazing at me. "… I'm glad I could help." The smile on his face was big, but his eyebrows looked worried.

Something about his expression put me at unease. I knew something that would cheer him up right away. "How about we take a trip to the shop and I'll get you some cheesecake?"

His grin looked a little more genuine, but still I couldn't help but feel that I had said something wrong earlier. "Alright."

0o0o0o0

I was headed back home from a walk a few weeks later when Cam ushered me over to his stall. Various sized jars and buckets held pristine stems and colorful blooms. Walking over to his area, I took a deep whiff of the scent of spring.

"Look what I found this morning," he handed me a bundle of moondrop flowers tied with a ribbon.

I knew better than to simply accept the bouquet. "Alright, what's the charge?" I laughed.

He shook his head. "You can keep it. I found so many that I wanted to share them while they were still in their prime." Cam gave me a kind smile as he continued to hold out the bundle to me.

I took the flowers and admired them, inhaling their fragrance. The young man truly had a gift with plants and blooms; the smells and colors blended together perfectly to create a treat for the eyes and the nose. He could have easily charged a lot of money for this particular piece of work. "Don't you get worried about giving out free merchandise?" I asked him.

Cam smiled. "Well, I know I could be making a lot more money if I was more businesslike with my stall, but it's not about that." He added a few carnations to a smaller vase and began shaping another bouquet. The young man had a methodical rhythm to his work; it was fascinating to watch.

"Then what is it about?" I observed him sifting through a stack of daisies before settling on a large round one with pure white petals. He handled it so tenderly, as if it would shatter into a million pieces if he was not careful enough with it.

"Giving these flowers a home," he replied as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. He shuffled through his spools of ribbon and settled on a pale blush color.

I felt a smile creep across my face as I sniffed the bouquet he had offered me. If Cam weren't so serious about his flowers, I would have giggled. It was probably for the best that I didn't laugh. "Giving away flowers doesn't pay the bills, though," I reminded him.

He gave me a shrug. "I make enough to pay you guys rent. That's all I really need. I have everything I need to be happy right here," he explained simply, twirling the daisy between his slim fingers. "Do you understand?"

I mulled his words over in my head. His goal with matching flowers to his clients was similar to my desire to see the look of satisfaction on my customers' faces as they ate my cooking. "I think I get it," I gave the bouquet another sniff and flashed him a smile.

"We don't exactly have the largest village, but the people are nice and everyone is like family. That's worth more than any amount of money," Cam mused as he tucked the daisy into a bundle and began to unwind the spool of ribbon.

 _Worth more than any amount of money..._

What was it that I really wanted?

0o0o0o0

I made a fresh batch of cheesecake the next morning, partially because I loved the smell and had the ingredients on hand, and to some extent because I found myself craving the farmer's company. I eagerly sat behind the counter as I waited for the bakery to open.

"It looks like you're simply on pins and needles this morning, sweetie. Is there something you want to talk about?" Dad asked, tying a fresh apron around his waist.

To be honest, I didn't know what I wanted to reveal to him just yet. I had been replaying my conversation with Phillip over in my head, and I was starting to feel a little guilty for asking him about moving. The truth was that I was still having a hard time imagining leaving home. There were so many people here that I cared about, and to just leave felt so… drastic. Maybe there was another way? I frowned. If I wanted to be successful, the city would be the place for that. Bluebell was a small town, and it wasn't exactly in tourist territory.

I shook my head. "Just lost in thought," I replied.

My stomach gave a funny jolt as I heard the door creak open. I tucked a blonde lock of hair behind my ear and smoothed out my apron as Phillip made his way into the shop. I ignored the smirk from my father that I caught in the corner of my eye.

"How can I help you today?" I gave him a friendly grin.

He inhaled the air and let out a contented sigh, his features relaxing. "You made cheesecake, huh? I'll have some of that for sure."

Dad cut him a generous slice and slid it across the counter, giving me a wink as he did so. I rolled my eyes at him and took Phillip's money.

"Wow, what a slab! Thanks, Howard!" The young man beamed as he took a seat at the table.

My father not-so-subtly slid me a slice of cake as well. "Why don't you take a quick break?" Dad smirked as he returned the cake to the case.

My face felt warm. "W-We only just opened," I managed to stammer. Why did he have to tease me like that?

"Exactly," he whispered. "I saw him outside waiting for us to open. He's been waiting for _you_ , Laney." Dad's dark eyes were playful, but there was a seriousness to them that I had never seen before.

My heart hammered in my chest so loudly I wondered if Phillip could hear it from the other side of the room. I stole a glance in his direction. The auburn-headed man was slowly eating his cheesecake, twirling his fork in his fingers, looking as if he was killing time waiting for someone or something.

It couldn't possibly be me.

Nevertheless, I found myself taking my own dessert and dragging my feet to the other side of the bakery, sitting down in the chair across from him. The young man's face lit up, and I was certain I had gone from pink to red.

The farmer wasted no time speaking. "I've been thinking." He eagerly shoveled the cake into his mouth.

"You don't say," I teased, taking a dainty bite from my own piece of cake. I felt a smug smile spread across my lips. This was the best one I had made so far. The addition of nutmeg really added a new level of flavor to the cake.

He nodded as he continued to chow down on the cake in his usual manner. The young man licked off his fork and set it off to the side, thoughtfully folding his hands in front of him as he gathered his thoughts. "You know, you don't have to leave town for other people to try your cuisine," Phillip started as he looked at me earnestly. "Now that the tunnel is open, people from Konohana can come to visit. You'll have another whole village to feed. I can even go over there and tell them about the bakery if you want. I can bring people samples and help you sell some of your cheesecake."

I popped another bite of cake into my mouth as I thought about what Cam said about his clientele. It was true that two villages probably wouldn't bring in as much business as a busy café in the city, but what was it that I really wanted? I thought of the satisfied smile on Phillip's face as he shoveled cheesecake into his mouth and felt my cheeks burn. _That_ was what I really wanted, what really made me happy… I set my cake off to the side. I had more important things to think about than sweets…

I hadn't asked for his help, and I had the feeling he wasn't expecting anything in return. "Why are you going out of your way to do these kinds of things for me?"

He looked at me with those sincere blue eyes that I quickly found myself getting lost in. "… Because I don't want you to leave," he murmured, the color rising in his cheeks. He reached across the table and took my trembling hands in his and gave me a shy smile as he brushed his lips against my knuckles.

We both knew I wasn't going anywhere.

 _ **0o0o0o0**_

 _ **The End!**_

 _ **Author's Note: I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun with this one. I don't play much of Two Towns myself, but this story made me a lot more interested in the characters. Thanks for reading!**_


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